Differences Between a Female and Male Brain

You’ve heard it all before, the battle between the sexes, the dating game, the he-says-she-says chronicles, all of this stuff relates to the differences between males and females. In a society where gender equality is often put to the test in the workplace, in relationship clashes and marriage dynamics, has anyone bothered to think about what makes males different from females? The answer, of course, has to do with more than just the psychological profile but something deeper–the biological makeup of the brain itself. Little do we know that our every action towards the opposite sex is motivated not only by our experiences and personal beliefs, but by something that’s hardwired into our brains depending on whether we’re male or female. In order to understand ourselves and the opposite sex better, it’s imperative that we delve into the inner mechanisms of the male and female brain. Some differences significantly affect our behavior while others don’t.

First, males have larger brains than females. You shouldn’t take this as a sign that males are superior to females in terms of thought processes; however, the increased brain mass of males is designed to accommodate the extra body mass. A larger brain does a better job of controlling the muscle groups which are more extensive in males than in females.

Secondly, each sex tends to specialize in a certain brain hemisphere. Most males have dominant left-brain hemispheres, while women tend to have balanced left-and-right brain hemispheres. As a result, females score better in communication and are superior in intuition than males. The dominance of the left-brain hemisphere in males makes them less adept in social matters. Have you ever heard of EQ before? A long time ago, IQ, or intelligence quotient, was thought to be the best measure of a person’s intelligence until EQ, or emotional quotient, came along, that is. EQ determines a person’s skill at handling emotional matters such as relationships. Females tend to score better at EQ and express their emotional problems readily, while males have difficulty sensing non-verbal, emotional cues. The sharp difference between EQs leads to petty fights and major arguments between the sexes. Also, the balanced use of both brain hemispheres makes women adept at language learning, while males find it difficult because they favor the left hemisphere.

Thirdly, males score higher in math than females. They’re better at all mathematical fields, especially in geometry. The reason for this lies in males’ larger, inferior parietal lobule, an area of the brain that deals with numerical tasks.
Another factor that contributes to the higher EQ of females has to do with the fourth difference–the deep limbic system. Females have a more extensive deep limbic system as compared to males, and this makes them better at emotional expression. However, this is a double-edged sword because it also makes women susceptible to depression.

Have you ever heard the saying that “males will always be greater navigators than women”? It’s true, and its supported by a significant brain fact. The parietal region is denser in the female brain, and this makes it a challenge for females to excel in spatial reasoning. As a result, males have greater depth perception and road awareness skills. This may also be the reason why males are better at playing computer games, which demands a good deal of visual and spatial cognition.

Summary:

Males have larger brains than females. This is due to their greater body mass.

Males favor the left hemisphere while females utilize both hemispheres. This makes females better at communication, learning languages, and EQ.

Males have a larger, inferior parietal lobule than females, accounting for their superior mathematical skills.

Females have a more extensive deep limbic system than males, helping them greatly in emotional expression but also making them vulnerable to depression.

Females are burdened by a denser parietal region which makes them inferior to males in terms of spatial and visual cognition.

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Written by : Celine.
and updated on November 18, 2012

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